Beet-topping machine



' J. wmzzoccc:

BEET TOPPING MACHI NE Filed May 9, 1924 2 Sheefis shom l Gil 341a 'INVENTOR l MK J. MAZZUKZCQ BEET TOPPING MACHINE Filad May 9, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTOR Patented a. 16, 19.28.

' and make a cleen' cutdollowved through,.so as g BEET-Tonmq needin Appliation filed Mey'Q,

In harvostingsugar heetsit is 21 common practice to pull the beets from the ground and thereafter top them by hand,using for the purpose ,a substantiallystraight knife which is epplied trensverswlly of the. tuberbye swiftstrong stroke adapted to out through the tuherenld remove therefrom" the top and a segmentof the crown. Topping'of'beets by.

this method requires considerable skill,

strength and pr'aotiee since it is desirable. to

remove exectljzthe' right amount of segment to avoid breaking down eny side ofthe tuber. "Any luck of skill or strength or sharpness of knifetends to mgged'and wasteful results,

An object of this invention is to provide a.

- machine which will simulate thebest hand Work in topping beets w hilestanding in a,

field. 7

A fi'l'rther object of this invention is .to pro- 1 vide ahnife simulating the hand knife used as above noted, WhiCh'WheD properly oper-t zited will simulate the best hand work,v to- 'p;ether with means for driving said knife 1"0- tatively at high speed; 7 e, e A

turtherohj'ect ofthis invention isto provide improved means for regulating the-plane of content between e rotary knife'and ebeet tuher irrespeetlve oft-he ,pro e ot1onof said tuber :vhove thesurfaee of the ground.

Afu'rthrerohject of this invention lS tOTJI'O."

videan improved. means for combing through the tops of standing beets-in 21 field and en Sgeging the crowns of said beets successive-lyior the purpose of regulating and determining the plane of ,eontaet .ofu rotary :knife with the tubers of the beets tothe .endtlmt uniform segments orsportions of the crowns! of said beets IllilYibGI'GiTlOVGd.

hiole Carrying means Aiurther object of this invention is to .provide improved means for scavenging or removii sevened beettops and segments.

n i 3+, vide improvedmeuns for adjusting :the altitude on: the knife independentot the comb ng element.

A further objeotofthis invention-ism provide improved'nieans for steering .11: land we for topping fend kin clred,e1.enients.1.

Afurther object of this invention :isgto pro- Videimprovved means for reising and lowerei' .e'bjzeet of this invention is to :pro-

cent en operativepeiits relative to the frame eta-land vehieldrendering said parts emporar ly inoperative, for the .pu mfiew 9 transporting rt-hem" or turning at the ends of- 10VVS.'- Y

i s A further obj ct f hi i i e t en i w" 1 41 vid improved me s fo ndiu t ngthe relat veya'ltit de of a r tary k fe and cent a element. '3 it A tu therfe ieet of th inv t nistq p ovide n: improv d olnbina i n be w n:

fl e i' efmmee ary k i ia d ae'et tufi n-a ly dje t ing dev -t a 1 A urthewbjest Qfi h sinventiw is $41 9 i ,v' de e111 'imnre e struc ie fer :n1 tit din i ly edjii t ng devi Thisinventionrelates to and eontains some of the elements illustrated, described and claimed in my epplieetion for Letters; Patent lot the United \St tesfiled J enuery ih; 1,923,

to whieh refierenee P t st. ,582 292,

- nvention consists nthe eoms ruetion,

ferrengement and; eombination of; elements hereina ften set forth mpointed out inthe ms n ill t at d y he a co pa y n drewing inwhich T of inn-chine embodying improvements i ed" i e" e ee nerd i 1- $550K p rt y in estinn, e ements. bein omitted to avo d confusion end obscurity Figure 4 is eg fragmentary; elevation of the machine;

par y i e i mi lus etin steering mean end meansfiorsu ppo gtinglfan. eltitudinelly eke-ne t d s -1* ewsso end F re end 9 e View: Q IQ Pe P iYQ1Y i modifie rm r l e as n lyempl y d in t e m hine isur flf nd iwen en s e e" when wsp et li 0i a ro ary knite em- I th w stnu tien e ithem hine ailandvehieleisemp nyedembedy; luding m n exile .0 mused by wheelsll, 12, side hers 13,?1E1pfa main" define;

.atnngue 15 secure tee Miser- :rieliT ythe fnonttends gof thesigle fibers 13514,

hounds fieonneoting the :tangueto the side adapted ztegs ppert and geide the toward I end of the main frame. Theaxle is our naled in suitable bearings on thelower 13, 14: and may be provided withany suitable differ'entialor compensating means connecting its ends to the traction wheelsvll, several of which devices are common well known and form no part of this nvention. The

casterstemsare swiveled in suitable bearings in the bars 13, 14 and turn outwardly in opposite directions, at their lowerends" and have wheels journaled on spindles 21, formed thereon; The wheels of "theeasters preferably i are spaced l apart i respective distances I from the traction wlieelsi'll, 12 'and' both sets of Wheels are arranged to straddle one row only of standing beets in a field and carry the landve'hicle along and over said row. {Crank arms 22, 23' are secured to and f e'xtend outw'ardlyin substantially the same horizontal plane from the upper ends of the caster stems. "and co 'inecting rods 2et, 25 are pivoted'at their,

internally threaded to receiveqthe threaded forwar'd'ends to outer end portions of said arms and extend rearwardlytherefrom'.-A-

cross bar 26 isfixedf'at its ends tothe'lower faces of the side bars 13', 14in advance of the axle l 'Oand a'steer'ing bar 27' is pivoted at itscenter toth'e central portion ofthe'saidcross bar byja pin 28; End portion s'of the steering bar 27 extend upwardly and "laterally a horizontal plane above that of the side bars 13, 14' andt-he rear end portionslof the con nectiiig rods 24:, 25 are "pivoted tojtheex tremities ther'eof. Any suitable "seat may be "niounted'on the'inachiiie to be occupied by- 2 an operator whose" feet may engage the ups wardly extending endportions ofthe steerframecornposed of side bars 31, 32, a cross" bar 33 connecting the forward ends ofqthe' ing b'ar 27iand operate saidfbar or hold the same at any desired angle relative to the median line of the main frame for thepurpose of steering theeourse of the entire ma- "chine through oscillation of the casters '18, 19. .A counter shaft 29 is mounted for rotation in suitable bearings 30 secured to and depending from the side bars 13, 14in front ofthe bearings 20. Asuppleinental or floating 1 side bars,and a downward-lyarehed crossbar 34 alsofonnecting the forward'ends of the sidebars anddi'sposed'beneath the crossbar '33, of less width than the main frame is hinged atits'rear end by means of bearings-=1 V 35 to the counter shaft 29 and extends for- *wardly therefromsubstantially to the :caster stemsllAfdownwardly arched erossbar36 is i fixed to a nddepends from the forward por-' I l tionsofthe sidebars 31, 32 and bearings 37 "are 'disposedinth'e ends thereof." A counter shaft-=38 is ournaled -in'the" bearings BZ- and 1 twin'beve'l gears '39, 40' are 'keyed to said counter shaft.- The" bevel gear l-of larger diamete'r than the gears 39,40 is keyed to the "counter shaft'29. A -connecting shaft 42 is journaled in suitable bearings parallel with the frame bar 32 and bevel gears 43, 44, of

V materially less diameter than the gears 39, 40, V faces of therear end portions of the side bars 5 are 'n' ounted on end portions of said co'nnectingshaft and mesh with the gears ll and 39 I "knife shaft is disposedvertically and journaledin'the bearing 49 and a's'uitable bearing int-he central portion'of the bar 36. Abevel gear 51 is fined to the upper end portion of the shaft 50and preferably'rides on the bar and meshes with thebevel gear410 on the shaft 38; The lower end portion of the knife ,shaft '5O isfthreaded 'andacutting element is screwed thereon and supported thereby. The'cnttingelement is composed of a hub 52,

end,portionoftheknife shaft- 50, and adouble knife 53 integral i with the; lower end portion 0f the hub. The knife 53 is of cross-head" shape as contra-distingu shed to a disc and is formed with'relatively long curved. op-

posite cutting edges 5s, 55. A single knife may be employed insteadof the double one shown and in that event it would be disposed radiallyof the hub 52. Itis "important'in this connection to emphasize the distinction between a knife of the character shown,:of eithensingleor double type, and a disc having a beveled and sharpened periphery as is shownvin some other patents in this class.

Thefl'rnife employed in thismachine simulates the shape of the hand-knife commonly and rather successfully used in topping beets and the use of a knife of this type in ameto opposite endportions of shafts 10 and 29 chanica'lly driven machine simulates, -in"its and are of different diameters. the j larger. gears 56 beingon theaxlelO. e The ratio be-- tween the gears 56, 57,41, 43, 44, 39, 40 and '51 provides for therotation of the shaft 50 and vknife '53 thereon at high speed, sub- Speed- .ofthe stroke used in hand labor in the operation of topping'beets and makes for a clean quick severance of the tuber. A shaft '58 1SI]OU1IlLl6Cl1I1lLl16 bearing 47 and is driven by inter-meshing of a gem- 59 on said shaft with a similar gear 60 on the knife shaft 50. A; circular brush 61 is fixed to'the rear end portion of :the shaft 58 and has its periphery immediately at the rear of the orbit of the knife '53. It is the function of the brush 61 to scat-'enge, remove-or knockto one side the segments and tops removed from-the beets by the knife 53.

stantially- 800 R! P.-M.', which simulates the r it) ered insimilar "frame conso'nant with the undulation of the tread surface carrying the discs. This oscil lation of the floating frame reacts on the knife 53in that said knife is disposed in a given altituderelative to said frame through its vari- "'ous' connections. Hence as the fllSCS Tl'TlSB segment, with the top, 7 like manner'thebrush 61 rises and falls C0111- cident wit-h theknife53 and scavenges the segm'ents and tops from said knife; In Figures 5 and 6 v for the bushings and spokes or pins 7e are hubs 75 are substituted mounted-in said hubs and substituted for the discs 74. The hubs are journaled ona shaft 73 and in practical use this device operates substantially like thedevic-e first described in that the spokes or pins 7e ride over cessively to the end ofaltitudinally adjusting the floating frame and through it theplane of the cutting edges of the knife and therelation of the scavenging brush, uniformly relative 'to successive tubers;

It is important to emphasizethe' distinction between the spaced discs (or spokes on? the hubs) and any form of-shoe inthe matter of so ad ust ng the knife as to cause it to remove uniform segments from bers above the ground surface. Anyshoe dev1ce,wh1ch rides over and depresses beet tops,

is modified asto the horizontal plane by the ing the foliage or tops, are not materially impeded or obstructed thereby and can-readily seat on the crownsof the tubers and so adjust --the plane of the knife as to produce uniform segments in separation from said tubers.

Iclann as my mvent1oni 1. In a machine of main frame, a floating frame hinged at its rear end to and 'yieldingly supported for actuation through a vertical arc atits forward end by said main frame,.a rotary knife carried by said floating frame and operable through a substantiallyhorizontal plane and Q an altitudinally-adjusting device comprisinga series of spaced'rotary elements depending .from and adjust-ably connected to the for ward end of said floating frame and adaptedto travel in advance of said knife and also adapted to comb through the tops ofstanding beetsin a field and contact and ride on the crowns thereof, said knife extending beneath ;a(l]11St1ng device comprising aghorizontal said rotary elements.

degree and is caused to strike to theknife and successive'tu'bers in ahorizontal plane correct and necessary to the severance of a uniform] from each tuber. In

thecrowns, comb through the tops, penetrate the tops and-set on the crowns variously and sue-- .nected with the floating 3 frame, guides carried by themain' frame, sliding connections between theshaft and guides and rotary elesuccessive tu-u bers irrespective of the projection of the tu-' 'iyes'mso 2'. In amachine of the classdescribedthe are at its 'forvvard'end by said main frame, a

rotary knife carriedby said floating frame and'operable through a substantially horizontalplane; a'scavenging device adjacent driven coincident-V therewith, an altitudinally adjusting device depending I from andadjustably connected to the *forward end ofsaid'floating frame and comprisirig a series of spaced rotary elements each formed with radial partsadapted ,to comb through the topsof standing beets inia field and contact and ride on'the crowns thereof,

said'knife ,extendingbeneath some of said rad1alparts;

3 .In3a1machine" of the class described a main frame, a floating frame lnngedly sup ported to the ma nframe, a rotary knifehav- 7 ing a substantially vertical axis carried by the floating frame and an altltudlnallyf adjusting device comprising a 'shaftvadjustablv' conmerits carried by said shaftjandformed with radial parts adapted to comb through the tops of standing beets in a field and contact and ride on the crowns thereof. I

i 4., In a machine of the class described,a mainframe, a floating frame-hinged at its rear end to andfyieldingly supported for limxting'altitudinal actuation at its forward a end by said main frameyan altitudinally adz ustingidevice carriedby the forward end of said floating frameysaid device comprisingan 1 arm adjustably fixed to and depending from the forward end of said floating frame,ahori-' Zontal shaft mounted in the lower end of said arm beneath parallel with and spaced from the forward end of said floating frame and extending-on either side ofxsaid arm, sliding connections between "the ends of said horizontal shaft and portionsofsaid main frame,

. discs loosely mounted on said horizontal shaft "and means for sp'acing saiddiscs la'terally," said discsbeing adaptedto combthroughthe the class described,-a- I I and ride on' the crownslthereof, a vertical tops of standing beetsin afield and contact.

shaftand. a knife on the latter shaft adapted ported atits front end byisaid main frame, a

vertical shaft depending from. said floating frame, a rotary knife carr ed by said ver ical shaft and operable through a substantially to ex-tend beneath-the rear portions of said discs, and means for rotating said vertical hor zontal plane, means for rotating/said verticalshaft and knife, and an altitudinally shaft directly and" adjustably connected to the free end of said frame and-spaced discs mounted for rotation on said horizontal shaft, said discs being adapted to comb through the tops of standing beets in a field and Contact and ride on the crowns thereof to regulate and determine the plane of Contact of said Signed at Denver, in the county ofDenven knife uniformly with successive beets, said knife extending beneath the rear portlonsof some of said discs. 10

and State of Colorado, this 3M day of May, 1924;. a v I i JAMES MAZZOCCO. 

